"Kucinich is, like, The normal laws of physics don't apply to me.

[bigtree]

"Kucinich is, like, The normal laws of physics don't apply to me.'"

Dead Man Running
BY LESSLEY ANDERSON
http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/2004-02-25/bayview.html/1/index.html

Kucinich has not fared as well as a presidential candidate. The $6.2 million he has raised has been dwarfed by the campaign war chests of John Edwards ($14.4 million) and John Kerry ($28.2 million). Kucinich complains that he's been virtually ignored by the media, although the New York Times recently ran a front-page profile of him. He is not telegenic -- at a doll-like 5-foot-7, he had to stand on a chair at a recent San Francisco rally to give a speech -- nor is he particularly media savvy. (In a debate on National Public Radio, he brought along a pie chart to illustrate a point.) What he is, however, is tenacious -- Kucinich has vowed to stay in the race until the end.

At a time when "electability" and "anyone but Bush" have become Democratic mantras, Kucinich backers maintain they're not throwing their votes away. Rather, they're hoping their candidate will garner enough votes to send delegates to the Democratic convention in July. In that way, they argue, Kucinich's progressive politics could have an impact on the party's platform. Among their key reasons for supporting Kucinich: He says he would immediately withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq if elected president. Unlike Kerry and Edwards, he believes in repealing NAFTA, not just amending it. He also advocates withdrawal from the World Trade Organization. (Indeed, he was the only candidate to take part in the raucous 1999 WTO protests in Seattle.)

"I'd like someone to vote for, rather than just holding my nose and voting for someone else," says Kucinich volunteer Lindasusan Ulrich, a San Francisco technical writer. "This guy's my dream candidate."

Bay Area supporters are also attracted to Kucinich's touchy-feely spiritual side. After losing his re-election bid for mayor of Cleveland in 1979, Kucinich traveled to New Mexico and adopted some Age of Aquarius visions of the universe; today, he peppers his speeches with expressions like "inner knowingness" and "heart connection."

[rucky]

1. John Kerry - 28 Million. George Bush - 200 Million.

It's all relative. Hey...isn't that a law of physics?

Buzz-phrases aside, it's also funny how much of DK's "new age" belief system is supported by quantum physics.

[kiahzero]

3. Doesn't matter how much is supported

Hell, I'm pagan, and I can understand that someone talking about magick rather than prayer is NOT going to get elected in America anytime soon.

It doesn't matter how much "new age" philosophy is supported by quantum physics, or anything else, for that matter. If it's not Christian, or maybe Jewish, you've got several strikes against you in electoral politics.

[rucky]

4. Agreed. Just playing off the title

showing how silly it is.

[Kanary]

5. So, I guess the *FACT* that he's a strong Catholic doesn't affect

that "new-age" image?

Geeeez, people can be sooo dense...

Kanary

[rucky]

6. Heads would explode

if they tried to understand how it all intertwines. Physics included.

[kiahzero]

7. Not really

He says "new age" things. That's all that needs to happen to knock him down a few pegs. Throw together 'liberal ideology' that people don't respond well to (they want liberalism, but don't want it to sound liberal, thanks to years of right-wing rhetoric), and he's a much less likely candidate to win.

[Kanary]

9. For both of you

Neither of those arguments stand up to the reality that when people see him in person, they are hooked, and become supporters.

Your objections also don't stand up when looking at the Republican support he enjoys, both in his homestate, and on the stump.

It's one thing to read and agree with writers who are trying to ridicule Dennis into oblivion: another thing to actually look at the reality of the situation.

For me, I definitely prefer the opportunity to help this country advance, and regain the respect of the rest of the world, which we have lost so grievously under the Bushwa regime.

Kanary

[DoveTurnedHawk]

2. He's Got to Be Taller Than 5'7"

I met him in person, and I could swear he was taller than me, and I'm almost 5'10".

Maybe he just seemed like a giant to me.

DTH

[bigtree]

8. He's standing in some big shoes